Page 32 of Arcane Entanglement

For a moment, Evander thought he would not listen to his uncle.

The fury blazing in Viggo’s pupils slowly abated.

He let go of him abruptly and retreated to his desk, wiping his hands on the flannel he held like he wanted to clean any trace of Evander from his flesh.

Evander swallowed, mouth dry where he’d braced his back against the bookcase. Though his knees were shaking, he couldn’t let it show.

He could sense the tension vibrating through the Brute all the way from behind the table. Showing any sign of weakness in front of this man would be akin to a lamb exposing its throat to an apex predator.

“What do you want, Ice Mage?” Viggo ground out. He grabbed the shirt on the back of his chair and shrugged into it.

Evander wondered at the ability of his libido to note the enticing way the Brute’s muscles moved as he angrily buttoned the item of clothing, while still in the midst of a rather precarious situation. He swallowed a curse.

Jasper and Ginny were right. I need to blow off some steam.

“May we sit?” he said after he’d recovered his breath. He indicated the book-laden chairs in front of the desk.

Viggo looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.

Evander sighed. “This may take a while.”

Viggo scowled, sat down, and crossed his heels on the table, his boots striking the wood like death knells.

Evander took this as a sign the Brute wasn’t bothered what he chose to do with himself and headed over to the chairs. Ginny joined him as he carefully moved the books to the floor.

Jack came over to stand by Viggo while Solomon and Finn took up position by the door. Evander noted this with interest.

Looks like they’ve been in this kind of situation plenty of times before.

From Ginny’s guarded expression, she too had clocked the way the men had positioned themselves. It was an arrangement meant to intimidate their guests.

Unfortunately, Evander and Ginny had navigated far worse waters at the society balls and dinner parties they attended to be cowered by such a display.

“You are being rather tight-lipped for someone who wanted to talk,mage,” Viggo said sullenly, the last word uttered on a tone of pure contempt.

His gaze dropped briefly to Evander’s mouth. He removed a cigar from a drawer, clipped it expertly, and lit it on the candle lantern on the desk.

“I see you like Homer.”

Viggo blinked, nonplussed.

Evander indicated the worn copy ofThe Iliadon the shelf behind the Brute. “That tome looks rather well used.”

“I got it from a second-hand book stall in Spitalfields market,” Viggo grunted.

He seemed surprised by his own answer in the next moment, as did Jack.

Evander suppressed a smile. He suspected he’d just discovered one of Viggo Stonewall’s weaknesses.

The Brute furrowed his brow, like he could guess what Evander was thinking right now.

“If you came here to discuss our mutual tastes in books, I think you’ll find you have far more in common with those posh nobs you mingle with atThe Prestige.”

Ginny barely managed to mask a gasp. Evander’s body grew cold.

The Prestigewas the name of the gentleman’s club he frequented.

“How do you know I attend that place?” he asked tightly.